How long do people live with liver cirrhosis at different stages? One of the cerebral hemispheres. Appendix and appendicitis

“Everything in a person should be beautiful...” said the classic. Well, what if this very person has “not everything”... That is, something very important is missing, for example, some organ? What does this mean? How dire will the consequences be?

To begin with, organs can be removed for three reasons:

1. because they are considered “unnecessary” or “dangerous”;
2. By medical indications- due to illness;
3. and, finally, a person can part with an organ voluntarily - become a donor.

"Extra organs"

At the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries, after Nietzsche proclaimed his “God is dead,” man decided to retrain from a trembling creature into a creator. Dreams of creating a “new man” took over our minds. Works such as Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog” and Wells’ “The Island of Doctor Moreau” were not isolated: in the 1920s, a story was published about an improved communist man of the future, in whom all internal organs were rationalized and unnecessary ones were removed as unnecessary. But since it has not yet been possible to create new people, they decided to improve ordinary people by cutting out their “unnecessary” and “dangerous” organs. These included the appendix, tonsils and foreskin. At one time it was considered dangerous to have a colon, but they were afraid to remove it.

Preventive removal of excess organs flourished in America in the second half of the 20th century, but gradually faded away.

It is now recognized that there are no superfluous organs, for example, the appendix is ​​a “depot” of intestinal bacteria, and the tonsils have the function immune defense and without them, the risk of developing bronchitis or pneumonia increases. Currently, appenectomy and tonsillectomy are performed only for medical reasons.

For medical reasons

1. Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder)

Perhaps most often they are removed for medical reasons. gallbladder. Mainly due to the appearance of stones in it. These operations amount to hundreds of thousands per year. The operation is relatively safe. Nowadays, as a rule, they try to carry it out using a laparoscopic approach, which does not leave a noticeable scar and causes less damage to the muscles and connective tissues of the abdomen.

The disadvantages of the operation, in addition to possible complications in the postoperative period (for example, a forgotten tampon or a damaged bile duct), include the flow of bile into the intestine whenever it pleases, which leads to digestive disorders and the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms.

Nowadays, in many cases, gallstones are first tried to be dissolved with the help of medications.

2. Splenectomy (removal of the spleen)

The spleen is most often removed due to blood diseases or injuries. Although this organ performs an immune function and is involved in hematopoiesis, patients tolerate its absence well. Most serious consequence splenectomy there is an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections in the first years after surgery.

Previously, the spleen was considered the organ responsible for the sense of humor, but a study conducted by British scientists showed no differences in the sense of humor in people with and without a spleen.

3. Resection (removal) of the stomach

Gastric resections for a long time were performed in very large quantities for the treatment of peptic ulcers (in full accordance with the main surgical principle “no organ - no problem”), until effective secretion blockers appeared and the fight against Helicobacter pylori began.

Currently, indications for gastric resection are limited. No matter how much we complain about the high cost and ineffectiveness of the current medicines, they allowed many to save their stomachs. Although a person can easily live without it - food will be digested and absorbed in the intestines. Disadvantages of living without a stomach: after surgery, anemia often develops and gallstones appear.

4. Removal of the pancreas

But resection of a little-known organ - the pancreas, on the contrary, leads to significant digestive disturbances. After surgery, the patient must constantly take enzyme preparations. In addition, the pancreas produces insulin, and its removal leads to the development of diabetes.

5. Removal of the thyroid gland

Sometimes necessary operation(for example, with thyrotoxicosis) is resection of the thyroid gland. However, due to frequent and serious complications, the thyroid gland is removed only when all other treatment methods fail.

After surgery, the patient is prescribed lifelong hormone replacement therapy.

6. Bowel removal

The human intestine is on average four to six meters long, and scientists have long asked the question - why so much? Wouldn't it be better if it were shorter and more convenient?

Fortunately, no one has ever removed the intestine for preventive purposes (for example, in the treatment of dysbiosis), but resection of part of the intestine is carried out when, for example, intestinal obstruction, for tumors. As a rule, the patient tolerates the removal of approximately 40% of the small intestine well, and the intestines adapt to the new conditions. Resection of a larger volume leads to severe digestive disorders, the development of anemia, and constant diarrhea.

Resection of part of the colon (hemicolectomy) is also performed for serious indications (cancer, Crohn's disease). Its consequences are the formation of stones in the gall bladder, digestive disorders due to the destruction of the colon flora. In addition, there may be complications associated with the operation itself.

Donation

Everyone knows about the collection of donor organs from corpses. An alternative is to harvest organs from living people. Such organs take root better. And the fact that such operations are carried out not urgently, but on a planned basis, also improves their prognosis.

In our country, organ collection is allowed only from blood relatives of the patient, while in the USA, donors can be a spouse, friends, or just strangers. Contrary to popular belief, altruism is necessary condition transplants from living donors to avoid organ trafficking. And although donors do not receive money and often do not even know who will receive their organ, the number of such voluntary donors is growing.

The main donor organs are kidney, liver, bone marrow. Mortality during donor operations is practically absent.

As is the case with any paired organ (for example, the lungs), when one organ is lost, the other organ hypertrophies and works for two. When one kidney is taken, the remaining one is enough to function, and the only risk is the risk of disease in the last kidney.

When collecting a liver for transplantation, the right lobe of the liver (about 60% of the organ) is selected, while the remaining lobe of the liver regenerates and the organ reaches its preoperative size. However, 14% of liver donors may experience postoperative complications.

Most in a safe way donation is bone marrow donation. In fact, this procedure is little more complicated than a regular blood draw. The donor is hospitalized for only one day, and no more than 5% of the bone marrow is sucked out of the skeletal bones with special needles. Its loss is not felt, and its volume is completely restored within two weeks.

Alexey Podolsky

medportal.ru

LUNGS

Where are the lungs located? The lungs occupy almost the entire volume of the chest - the heart is located between them and is displaced in left side, so the volume of the left lung is approximately 10% less than the right. On average, 5-6 liters of air fit into the lungs of an adult, but only 500 ml is needed for a calm inhalation.

Why are they needed? To inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, to speak, sing, yell, and not drown in water.

Why is it removed? For example, because of a malignant tumor. And a tumor can have many reasons, because we pass all the dirt of this world through the lungs. Risk factors: smoking, poisons spilled in the city air, simply a malfunction in the body. You can also get emphysema from hazardous work. Previously, sources of danger were also infectious diseases(one could easily lose a lung due to pneumonia), but with the advent of antibiotics such cases became rare.

What then After removing one lung second increases in size and tries to work for two. But during exertion, you cannot avoid shortness of breath. The situation when you first had one lung cut out due to dirty air, after which you lit a cigarette out of grief and developed a tumor in the second, smells like kerosene. True, in this case, doctors provide a transplantation - if you’re lucky, and the right organ will be available to you at the right time.

LIVER

Where is it located? Under the right lower rib. The liver is the largest gland in humans. It weighs 1200-1500 g.

Why is it needed? The liver neutralizes toxins, removes excess hormones from the body, produces bile, and participates in the metabolism of vitamins A, B, D, E, K, and microelements (iron, copper, cobalt). In short, without such a useful organ, a person can live only 72 hours, and it can only be replaced with a transplant.

Why is it removed? As you already understand, the liver is not removed if it cannot be replaced with another healthy one. Instead, your doctor may try to cut out as much of the non-repairable area as possible. There are cases when this organ completely restored its mass after 75% of its tissue was removed. It is not difficult to bring a liver to the operating table - most often a transplant is needed for patients with end-stage cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse, as well as hepatitis B and C. Cancer and benign tumors livers are less common, but because of them you may also need a transplant.

What Next If you successfully survive a major liver resection, consider yourself very lucky. Liver regeneration after removing a large amount of tissue takes only six months. Therefore, perceive the strict diet that the doctor will keep you on as an easy compromise - in comparison with a damp grave.

STOMACH

Where is it located: Just below the ribs solar plexus. Most of the stomach is on the left side of your body. Volume empty stomach on average 500 ml, full - 1.5 liters.

Why is it needed? Let's start from the beginning. When chewing, food in the mouth is processed by the enzyme amylase, which breaks down polysaccharides (for example, starch). Once in your stomach, your lunch is mixed with gastric juice, which contains a lot of pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down massive protein molecules. The turn for carbohydrates and fats comes in the intestines. Imagine, the stomach can be completely removed (the doctor will simply sew the esophagus and small intestine), but without it, the task of breaking down proteins will fall entirely on the intestines.

Why is it removed? The main indication for this operation in peacetime is stomach cancer.

What then? In order not to overload the intestines, you will have to go on a strict diet and eat often, but little by little. In addition, after removal of the stomach, you will suffer from reflux esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus, which causes the contents of the small intestine to reflux into the esophagus. Especially if you start eating heavily, your overcrowded intestines will try to send excess food back into your mouth. In addition, the gastric mucosa contains a special substance - Castle factor, which promotes hematopoiesis. Therefore, consider that anemia is already in your pocket.

EYES

Where are they located? In the eye sockets. Your eye is not only an eyeball, but also optic nerve, through which image information is transmitted to the brain. Take care of it - the optic nerve, unlike the other 11 cranial nerves (olfactory, facial, etc.), does not recover after damage.

Why are they needed? To look, peer, mow, fill, etc.

Why is it removed? Because of injuries and purulent inflammation. For dangerous microorganisms to enter the eye, it is enough to damage its upper protective shell - the cornea. The list of enemies also includes cancer and glaucoma. True, the eye is removed only at the last stage of glaucoma, when it can no longer see anything and constantly hurts.

What then? If you have lost both eyes, then you should walk with a guide dog and learn Braille. With one eye, you will simply lose binocular vision. Due to the fact that the pupils are located at a distance from each other and see objects from different angles, the brain can determine the size and ratio of everything that surrounds you. If there is no eye, there is no such ability.

KIDNEYS

Where they are located: On both sides of the spine at lumbar level. The bud measures approximately 10-12 cm in length, 5-6 cm in width and 3 cm in thickness and weighs 120-300 g.

Why are you needed? Kidneys cleanse the blood of the end products of nitrogen metabolism (urea), toxins and substances that for some reason are in excess in your body.

Why is it removed? The kidney has 3 enemies: injuries, urolithiasis disease, accompanied purulent lesion kidneys, and tumors.

What next If you lose one of your two kidneys, the remaining one will increase in size and take on double the load. If you take care of a single kidney, it may last until the age when your other organs begin to fail. The second option is that you continue to torment the body with toxins and the second kidney cannot stand it. In this case, for the rest of your life you will go three times a week for hemodialysis - blood purification using a machine. By the way, not all cars have such cars. populated areas Russia, so you may have to move.

TESTICLES

Where are they located? In the scrotum. The average volume of an adult male testicle is 18 cubic meters. cm.

Why are they needed? The testicles produce sperm and male sex hormones.

Why is it removed? For testicular cancer, as well as for injuries that result in necrosis of testicular tissue. You can also be castrated if you get prostate or breast cancer. The fact is that testosterone accelerates the development of these tumors, and the only way to stop the production of male hormone in your body is to throw your testicles in the trash.

What then Testicles - paired organ, and depending on the reason, they can be deleted either one at a time or both at once. Without one testicle, your life won't change much. As a rule, instead of a removed testicle, a silicone prosthesis is sutured into the scrotum “for beauty,” and to make children, one testicle is enough. The level of testosterone in the blood will drop, but it can be easily restored with the help of hormonal drugs.

If a man has both testicles cut off at once, it will no longer be possible to conceive an heir. In addition, you will have to constantly take male hormones. They are needed not only for muscle growth, but also to prevent the patient from developing female sexual characteristics such as a bust and rounded hips. However, if you have prostate or breast cancer, then testosterone in pills will be contraindicated for you after castration...

EARS

Where are they located? Apart from the auricles, you have 2 middle ears and 2 inner ears, which are located in the temporal bones of the skull.

Why are they needed? To hear. In addition, the inner ear contains the vestibular apparatus, a receptor that helps you maintain balance.

Why ear injuries and cancer are removed. Tumors affect the auricle and middle ear (tissue of the bony labyrinth inner ear resistant to malignant formations). True, according to statistics, this cancer accounts for only 1-2% of all cases oncological diseases in the world.

What then Folds and irregular shape yours auricle distorted in different ways sound waves when their source is above, below, in front or behind. Therefore, without it, it will be more difficult for you to search for a mobile phone in the apartment by the ringing sound. There will be no other inconveniences. Due to cancer or purulent inflammation middle ear, you can lose your eardrum and become deaf on one side. But even if you become deaf on both sides, you will still receive sound information - the role of the eardrum can be performed by the bones of the skull. For example, the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who had completely lost his hearing, played the piano, holding a cane in his teeth, the end of which rested on the musical instrument.

PROSTATE

Where is it located? You will never see the prostate itself until you cut your perineum from the anus to the scrotum - but it’s better not to do this. Just imagine that it is in the middle of the pelvis, just below the bladder. Theoretically, if you put your hand into the anus, you can feel it - this is what they do, for example, to massage the prostate. In general, we hope that you will not take this paragraph as a guide to action - consider the next one better.

Why is it needed? The prostate produces a secret in which a lot of things are mixed: vitamins, zinc ions and even lemon acid. The secretion of the prostate gland is part of the sperm with which you can conceive an heir who will grow up, invent a time machine or start a world revolution.

Why is it removed? Because of cancer. First, however, they treat with radiation and chemotherapy, and if all else fails, they call a surgeon.

What Then It is likely that you will have urinary incontinence after surgery. Another news - an erection may disappear, since surgical intervention often damages nerve endings. There's a lot to be nervous about here.

THYROID

Where is it? Touch your Adam's apple with your fingers, and then lower them a couple of centimeters lower. Somewhere here is the thyroid gland, and also a scarf - if, of course, you wear it for some reason in the summer.

Why is it needed? It produces hormones (for example, thyroxine and triiodothyronine) and is involved in metabolism. If the thyroid gland starts to work incorrectly and produces too much thyroxine, for example, you may get Graves' disease with a bunch of symptoms - from diarrhea to weight loss and arrhythmia. You will also become anxious and restless. In general, we have a dozen more terrible symptoms ready, but we will limit ourselves to those already listed so that you don’t get upset.

Why is it removed? If a severe stage of cancer is detected.

What then? You'll have to drink for the rest of your life. hormonal drugs. If you don’t do this, you will only live for six months at most. Well, until your deathbed you will have to visit an endocrinologist. It’s good if the doctor is a beautiful blonde, but it may well turn out that she is a nasty old woman with a Nirvana tattoo on her left buttock - then life will become truly unbearable.

BLADDER

Why do you need B? bladder liquid processed by the intestines (urine) enters, which is then excreted from the body through urethra. The average bladder holds 300 grams of urine, but there are others that, imagine, can hold almost half a liter!

Why is it removed? In case of severe stage cancer. And they can also delete it at the same time nearby organs if they are affected by metastases.

What next If the doctors decide that the situation allows it, they will make you a new bladder from part of the rectum: urine will be excreted in the usual way, which you can happily tell all your friends on social networks. A less pleasant option - they will make a hole in your stomach, and place a small container next to it, where urine will now accumulate (you can pour it out whenever you want): it is clear that from now on, during wild dances on the beach, performing unimaginable somersaults, you will have to be a little more carefully.

PANCREAS

Where is Interesting fact- it is located in your stomach and is attached to the duodenum. Its length is from 10 to 22 centimeters.

Why is it needed? It secretes pancreatic juice, which enters the duodenum and helps break down everything you eat.

Why is it deleted? If there are many fatty foods and drink it with alcohol, pancreatitis may begin, and then cancer. Plus, problems with the pancreas very often arise along with diabetes.

What then? At first, you walk around with a tube inserted into the intestines, through which a nutrient solution enters the body. After about a month, you will be able to eat normally (on our planet this is done through the mouth). Then the doctor prescribes you a very strict diet, according to which you are not allowed anything spicy, fatty, alcohol, and much more. It is likely that you will suffer from diarrhea and cramps. The doctor will write you a list of medications (including hormones, enzymes and insulin) that you will need to take for the rest of your life. However, life will immediately improve if you transfer one hundred rubles to the author of this material.

SPLEEN

Where is it located You will find it on the left side abdominal cavity.

Why is it needed? The spleen has many useful functions, the most important one is that it delays harmful to the body bacteria. If your spleen is removed, you get sick ten times more often. In addition, the spleen regulates blood clotting and generally actively participates in the body’s blood circulation.

Why is it removed If a malignant tumor appears in a severe stage. Moreover, it is quite difficult to determine the disease of the spleen - it almost does not hurt. The spleen can also be injured by receiving a very strong blow to the stomach.

What then Almost half of people with a removed spleen do not live to see 50 years of age: they die from all kinds of infections, most often from pneumonia. Comfort in in this case We have nothing left for you. True, there is an opinion that it is honorable to die young, although it is unlikely to give you a fit of optimism.

www.mhealth.ru

What determines life expectancy in liver cirrhosis?

Every patient who heard this terrible diagnosis, is interested in how long people live with liver cirrhosis and whether the disease can be cured. Improvement of the condition is possible if detected at an early stage and following the doctor’s recommendations. If the disease progresses, develops for more than a year, serious complications, the forecast will always be negative.

The most common cause of the disease is alcoholic hepatitis, which provokes chronic form The disease can only be cured through an organ transplant. An alcoholic cannot get on the transplant list. There is a list of factors that determine how long a person will live:

• does the patient behave correct image life;
• age of the patient, young people have a higher chance of avoiding death;
• general condition of a person;
• the root cause of the disease (if it is hepatitis, then treatment may well be effective);
• Do you have any other chronic diseases?

The influence of concomitant diseases on liver cirrhosis

Any concomitant pathologies (especially chronic ones) negatively affect the prognosis. The patient's condition deteriorates greatly, the function of the organ is performed poorly or not performed at all. Other pathologies can aggravate the process and shorten the patient’s life expectancy. Some diseases limit possible options therapy. In any case, aminoglycosides and NSAIDs that can cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract are prohibited. Common complications include:

• varicose veins of the esophagus/stomach;
• hepatic-renal syndrome;
• hepatic encephalopathy;
• peritonitis;
• coagulopathy;
• hepatocellular carcinoma.

How long do people live with liver cirrhosis of varying severity?

The disease has several degrees with characteristic symptoms and the likelihood of successful therapy. How long people live with liver cirrhosis depends on the stage. There are several main stages: compensation, subcompensation, decompensation and the last (terminal) stage. Life expectancy depends on the most important factor - at what stage therapy is started:

1. First degree. The function of dead cells is taken over by intact healthy hepatocytes, and the disease is not accompanied by symptoms. Life expectancy in 50% of patients is more than 7 years.
2. Second stage. The first signs of the disease appear, functional cells die and become depleted, and the functioning of the organ is disrupted. Life expectancy – 5 years.
3. At the stage of decompensation, connective tissue grows and liver failure appears. Only 20-30% live 3 years.
4. Forecast terminal stage always unfavorable. Complications develop: ascites (edema of the abdomen), a person may fall into a coma, tissue decomposition occurs. Life expectancy is less than a year.

How long do people live with complicated liver cirrhosis?

Another characteristic of this disease is severe complications: ascites, liver failure, portal hypertension, encephalopathy. Mortal danger represents the discovery internal bleeding, as a rule, in one of the areas of the gastrointestinal tract or from the veins of the esophagus. Life expectancy is 3 years in half the cases.

Ascites is considered another severe form of complication. Only 25% of people live up to 3 years, most die before this period. In the case of hepatic encephalopathy, the doctor predicts an unfavorable outcome. On average, patients do not live more than a year. If you ignore doctor's recommendations, life expectancy is sharply reduced.

How long can you live with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies?

The disease may be caused for various reasons, this factor affects the success of treatment and how long patients live. For example, with biliary and alcoholic cirrhosis at the first stage, a favorable outcome is allowed. To do this, a person must completely eliminate alcohol. If stage 2 or 3, then life expectancy will be 6 years or more.

For the biliary type of the disease, the period is 5-6 years from the first appearance of signs of the disease. The heaviest is considered viral species illness. In advanced situations, combinations of alcoholic or toxic pathology with a viral one are diagnosed. This indicates imminent death even when used effective therapy. The only salvation may be an organ transplant.

Forecast depending on the gender and age of the person

Another factor that affects how long a person will live is gender and age. The disease becomes more severe in old age. General level immunity and other protective mechanisms decrease, and the number of concomitant pathologies increases. However, in some cases, diagnosing the disease in young people also has an unfavorable prognosis.

Research shows that cirrhosis is less severe in men than in women. For the same reason, deaths among the “weaker sex” are more common. This is due to high sensitivity cells of the female body to ethanol, which begins to accumulate in large quantities due to dysfunction of the organ. However, the disease occurs against the background of alcoholism in general much less frequently.

sovets.net

There are numerous cases where a seemingly incurable patient recovers. With properly selected treatment, the process of death of liver cells and their replacement with adipose tissue can be stopped. In this case, healthy, undamaged cells will be able to perform the functions of dead cells. The most complex treatment for those with alcoholic cirrhosis. On average, such patients live for several years, while their condition worsens every day, manifesting itself in changes in health and possible bleeding. If patients, despite the diagnosis, continue to drink, then no one can say for sure how long they will live. The last stage of the disease is the most difficult and mortality is up to 80 percent of patients already in the first three years of the disease. If we generalize all the stages of cirrhosis, then people can live with this diagnosis for up to five years from the moment of its discovery.

Alcoholic hepatitis is practically the only alcoholic liver disease that causes cirrhosis. This form of the disease is chronic and appears approximately five years after the onset of chronic alcohol abuse. Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammatory disease, in which the liver is damaged by toxins from alcohol and its products.

Life expectancy with liver cirrhosis depends on factors such as:

1. Age of the patient (the younger the patient, the more likely he is to recover);
2. The lifestyle that the patient leads;
3. The causes of the disease (if this is a consequence of hepatitis, then there is enough chance of recovery);
4. The presence of various chronic diseases (the less, the better);
5. General health of the patient.

At the initial first stage, the capillaries of the organ are damaged. There are no symptoms of the disease. The second degree of the disease is characterized by the appearance of the first signs. Symptoms during it are already clearly visible, changes occur in the liver, nausea and mild malaise appear. At the third stage, the symptoms are quite pronounced, as the liver cells die and connective tissue forms in their place. Then the situation becomes more complicated and the diseased organ cannot cope with its functions.

How long do people live with liver cirrhosis at various stages?

The first stage of cirrhosis is characterized by the onset of the disease. Liver cells are still able to perform their functions. They can also replace the work of those cells that have died. This stage, in which there are practically no symptoms of the disease, is characterized by a life expectancy of up to seven years. If you follow all the doctor’s instructions, you can extend your life up to twenty years. At this stage, the patient complains of rare malaise, nausea, and heaviness in the liver area. You need to protect yourself from any infectious diseases and avoid working with pesticides or lifting weights. This stage does not provide the opportunity to register a disability, since the patient is able to work and can perform almost any job.

The second stage is characterized by already noticeable changes in health. Nausea appears, it is unclear why weight loss occurs, and there is a noticeable heaviness in the stomach. This stage involves issuing a disability to the patient. Work should be limited in time, alternate with frequent rest, and not come into contact with harmful products household chemicals. Life expectancy for liver cirrhosis at the second stage is up to five years.

The last, third stage of cirrhosis causes serious condition human health. People with this diagnosis live up to a maximum of three years. The disease has a progressive form, nausea and vomiting are constantly present, severe cramps in the liver area they are not given the opportunity to work. The entire organ is sick and does not perform its basic functions. The most dangerous complication at this stage of the disease there are bleedings in the esophagus and intestines. Almost forty percent of patients at this stage die from these complications. Hydrocele of the liver is also characteristic of last illness third degree.

To determine the presence of this complication, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

• The abdomen increases in volume when general decline patient's weight;
• Various hernias begin to appear;
• When the abdomen is lightly tapped, a dull sound can be heard, although healthy person he is loud.

To make a diagnosis, the doctor needs to ask the patient to find out whether there are symptoms of the disease, and only then can he begin to puncture the fluid. With a quick response from medical staff, patients with hydrocele may die. You can live with this diagnosis for several years.

Another serious complication of cirrhosis, including that of an alcoholic nature, is hepatic coma. Here the course of the disease depends on the stage of the disease, but, in general, patients die within two years.

1. Severe drowsiness;
2. High body temperature;
3. Complete disorientation in time;
4. Coordination of movements is impaired.

With the progressive degree of the disease, the patient falls into an unconscious state, there are no emotions on the face. During a prolonged coma, a person may experience a condition that is diagnosed as death.

Alcoholic cirrhosis liver quite often leads to this complication.

The only way to save the patient is to transplant a healthy organ. It's pretty complex operation, which also has all sorts of risks. But if the patient has a severe degree of cirrhosis and stomach bleeding has begun, then it is possible to prolong the life of the sick person by transplanting a healthy donor organ into him.

There are several causes of the disease. Alcoholic cirrhosis ranks first. For chronic hepatitis B and C need a lifelong diet, observation by a doctor, and complete abstinence from alcohol, since the alcohol factor will only complicate the course of the disease. If cirrhosis is detected, the patient should be aware that the structure of the liver is already damaged and its functions are not fully performed. Therefore, it is important to follow all instructions, monitor the health of the organ, and at the initial stage the possibility of recovery increases. All efforts should be aimed at combating an existing disease. A person should not wonder how long he can live with the disease, but what he can do to prolong life and restore liver function.

alcoholism.com

What affects life expectancy

When trying to find out how long one can live with cirrhosis of the liver, the patient must first pay attention to the stage of development of the disease. In total, doctors distinguish 3 stages:

There is also the so-called fourth stage of the disease, in which symptoms increase, leading to hepatic coma. Only 20% of all patients can survive a hepatic coma, since at this stage the effect is directly on the brain.

Life expectancy with liver cirrhosis depends on many factors. For example, the presence or absence of pathologies greatly influences the final prognosis of doctors. The following complications most often occur against the background of liver cirrhosis:

1. Ascites, which is characterized by fluid retention in the abdominal cavity. In approximately half of the cases, the progression of ascites leads to death.
2. Portal hypertension, which causes increased pressure on the collar vein, which can result in its rupture.
3. Abdominal and anal bleeding, which in most cases is caused by portal hypertension.
4. Against the background of cirrhosis, a malignant tumor can develop, which significantly reduces a person’s life expectancy.
5. Liver failure and encephalopathy significantly reduce a person's life expectancy, since the liver can no longer cope with its functions, and because of this, all systems of the body suffer without exception.

The liver has a lot of functions, so the death of its cells leads to a noticeable deterioration in the functioning of the kidneys, intestines and the entire gastrointestinal tract.

With such a diagnosis, a patient can live 15 years or not even a year, it all depends on his lifestyle. To delay the inevitable, you need to avoid drinking alcohol, taking heavy medications, and eating fatty or overly spicy foods.

The patient will have to undergo a course therapeutic therapy, which involves taking a large number of special medications. Only all these measures taken together can increase the lifespan of a person who has learned about a serious illness.

Compensated stage of liver cirrhosis: approximate life expectancy

In liver cirrhosis alarming symptoms do not appear immediately, so at the first stage of the development of the disease a person is not even aware of the problem. The tissue structures of the organ are already being destroyed, but a sufficient number of hepatocytes remain in the body to carry out normal work organ.

Most often, people with this diagnosis experience the following early symptoms:

• unjustified apathy, laziness;
• lack of appetite and weight loss against this background;
• frequent migraines;
• pain in the abdomen or under the ribs on the right side;
• diarrhea.

All these symptoms are so insignificant that a person easily ignores them, attributing them to fatigue, lack of sleep and other factors. However, it is at this stage that the prognosis turns out to be the most positive: when proper treatment the patient may live more than ten years.

It is unlikely that you will be able to live longer, since your vital signs will continue to deteriorate. With the help of drug therapy and diet, you can only slow down the progression of the disease.

If a person does not get rid of alcohol addiction, will ignore the doctor’s instructions and dietary rules, cirrhosis will begin to progress rapidly. In this case, it is impossible to live longer than 5 years.

Subcompensated stage: life expectancy forecast

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by rapid development under the influence of stimulating factors. For example, thoughtless taking of “heavy” medications, a love of strong drinks and ignoring the diet lead to the fact that the compensated stage degenerates into the subcompensated stage in just a couple of months.

Many patients resort to diagnosis precisely at this stage of the development of liver cirrhosis, since it is difficult not to notice the alarming symptoms. At this stage, a person faces the following problems:

1. Bleeding gums anus and nose.
2. Nausea and vomiting.
3. Frequent diarrhea.
4. Jumps in blood pressure, which often cause fainting.
5. An increase in the size of the abdomen, and this is subject to a decrease in overall body weight.
6. Severe pain in the right hypochondrium.
7. The temperature rises to an average of 37.5 degrees if maintained at the same level for several days.

At this stage of liver cirrhosis, a person lives no more than 5–6 years. The exact life expectancy directly depends on the number of symptoms that appear and the unpleasant consequences of the disease. Yes, progress portal hypertension reduces this period by almost half. The results of the appearance of ascites are just as sad.

Doctors cannot say how quickly the progress of liver cirrhosis will progress. It all depends on individual characteristics body and compliance with the treatment algorithm.

At the second stage of the disease, drug treatment and diet are still relevant. However, in the most severe cases, doctors may suggest hospitalization and a partial liver transplant.

Decompensated stage and life expectancy

At the last stage of such a disease, the prognosis is very disappointing: at this stage, almost all living liver cells die, and therefore life expectancy is no more than three years. Three years is the maximum lifespan possible only with a liver transplant.

The last stage of cirrhosis is dangerous because it damages not only the liver, but also neighboring organs.

The vital potential of the body is undermined, all body systems work with difficulty, and the liver and spleen increase significantly in size. Against this background, ascites and portal hypertension progress. Doctors have to surgically tie off some veins to prevent them from bursting. Often a person is bothered abdominal bleeding, traces of blood appear in the vomit. The stool and urine become dark, again due to internal bleeding.

Transplantation of a healthy organ is also not always possible. For example, if the disease is caused by hepatitis, it is better to refuse this treatment method. The fact is that viral cells can easily infect a healthy organ, and therefore the results of surgical intervention will be minimal.

Cirrhosis at the last stage is extremely dangerous, and it is very difficult to say unequivocally how long people can live with it without surgical intervention. Usually this period does not exceed 6–10 months.

Another complication may occur - hepatic coma. In this case, life expectancy is reduced to six months. The organ is completely damaged, it cannot function and negatively affects the entire body, including the brain. In this case, even surgical intervention may not produce results.

How to live longer with this diagnosis

Having learned everything about liver cirrhosis, how many people live with it and what are the stages of development of the disease, a person usually falls into despair. The presence of several stages in the disease gives the patient the opportunity to gain time. Here are some ways to help you live a little longer than expected:

• A complete abstinence from alcohol, spicy, salty and fatty foods will significantly improve the prognosis of doctors.
• It is recommended to carefully protect your body from sources of infectious diseases, since any of them will only worsen the course of the problem.
• It is recommended to drink flaxseed oil and eat cereals, and together with the mucous liquid remaining after brewing the latter. These folk methods help cleanse the liver.
• If a patient develops ascites, he needs to consume no more than 1.5 liters of fluid per day, while switching to a diet with minimum content protein and salt.
• It is necessary to exclude high physical activity and emotional stress from your life, as they only contribute to the development of the problem.

These measures will help improve the prognosis, extending a person’s life to 15–17 years. Such a diagnosis does not mean imminent death within a year. Some patients manage to live with cirrhosis for decades, but only under the strictest restrictions.

Liver failure is also called liver failure in the decompensation stage. This is a severe pathology, which is characterized by a violation of all organ functions that arise against the background of a number of diseases. The condition is manifested by an increase in intoxication of the patient’s body, disorders of all metabolic processes and dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS). The brightness of the clinical picture depends on what disease caused the gland to fail.

How does the liver work?

The liver is considered the most large gland human body. It is located in the abdominal cavity under the diaphragm on the right, and has two lobes - left and right. The latter has two more secondary lobes. The segmental diagram of the gland suggests that it consists of eight segments, each of which is represented by a section of liver parenchyma (tissue). The segments have a separate blood supply, innervation and bile outflow.

Without the liver, the human body cannot function. Why is this happening?

The functions of the gland are associated with the following processes:

• neutralization of toxic substances by inactivating them or converting them into less aggressive forms;
• removal from the body of excess mediators, hormonal substances, vitamins and other chemical compounds;
• participation in all metabolic processes;
• deposition of energy reserves in the form of glycogen;
• storage of certain vitamins and microelements;
• participation in hematopoietic processes, due to the production of a number of protein fractions;
• regulation of digestion due to bile synthesis;
• production of insulin-like growth factors.

The liver is famous for its ability to rapid recovery. Even if there is a quarter normal tissue the gland is able to completely return to its original appearance. But, unfortunately, this process is happening very slowly. Considering how they live modern people and that every day a large number external factors negatively affects the functioning of the gland, we can conclude that it simply does not have time to regenerate.

Reasons for refusal

Clarification of the provoking factor of liver failure is an important diagnostic point, on the basis of which the doctor chooses a treatment regimen. One of the main reasons is infectious diseases. Their group includes hepatitis B and C, and less commonly, hepatitis A. Liver failure can also be the result of the influence of cytomegalovirus, herpes viruses and Epstein-Barr. On the background pathological processes fibrotic changes develop, that is, the healthy parenchyma of the gland is replaced connective tissue which cannot perform the functions of an organ. Gradually, the number of properly functioning hepatocytes decreases.

Liver failure also occurs against the background of the influence of hepatotoxic, toxic substances. This includes long-term treatment antibacterial agents, analgesic and sedative drugs. Salts are harmful heavy metals and carcinogenic compounds that people come into contact with in large-scale production. The death of liver cells is also provoked by alcohol abuse, especially against the background concomitant diseases glands.

TEST: What is the condition of your liver?

Take this test and find out if you have liver problems.

The next provoking factor is infection with helminthic infestations. It's about about the entry into the body of alveococcus, echinococcus, roundworm and leptospira. An organ can also fail due to congenital structural defects or fermentopathy. Other reasons are considered:

• mechanical damage to the abdominal cavity as a result of trauma with further infection;
• processes against which thrombosis develops portal vein(for example, Budd-Chiari syndrome);
• primary oncology;
• pancreatic or lung cancer with;
• massive bleeding.

Symptoms

Liver failure is characterized by a variety of manifestations, since damage to the gland affects the functioning of other vital organs and systems of the body (kidneys and central nervous system, heart and blood vessels, hematopoietic system). Symptoms of liver failure in a person may develop suddenly or gradually. The fulminant form is characterized by the early appearance of jaundice. Its severity can range from intense to almost imperceptible. The second option is considered more dangerous for humans.

Body temperature rises, nausea and vomiting appear, urine color changes and feces. Urine becomes darker, and feces, on the contrary, become discolored. The patient smells a “liver” odor in the exhaled air. Swelling is noticeable on the legs and under the eyes, and fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity.

Complications

If the liver fails, the central nervous system suffers first. As a result of metabolic disorders and increased intoxication of the body, hepatic encephalopathy appears. This is a reversible condition, the signs of which are:

• disturbance of consciousness;
• changes in behavioral reactions;
• speech disorder;
• decreased intelligence;
• a sharp decrease in visual acuity;
• tremor of the limbs.

Brain swelling

Against the background of gland failure occurs intracranial hypertension, which causes death in 80% of clinical cases. The mechanism of its development has two main links: vascular and cytotoxic. The specialist will think about pathological condition with increased muscle tone with sudden muscle spasms, for example, when lifting and bending your arms. Coordinated movements are impaired eyeballs, in severe stages, loss of pupillary reflexes is possible.

Coagulopathy

If the liver fails, there is not only a deficiency of coagulation factors, but also an increase in fibrinolytic activity. Symptoms of the pathology are sudden gastrointestinal and nosebleeds, stroke.

Bleeding diagnosed using fibrogastroscopy

Metabolic disorders

On the background liver failure There is a persistent decrease in blood sugar levels in half of the patients. This is explained increased level the hormone insulin due to slower gluconeogenesis and impaired uptake of hormonally active substances by the liver. There is also a decrease in potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in the blood plasma. The pH level changes towards acidification, which indicates the need.

Accession of infections

Every second patient encounters bacterial complications due to gland failure. Pathologies are caused by staphylococci, streptococci, and gram-negative bacteria. Fungal infections occur.

Pathologies of the kidneys, lungs and pancreas

Signs of liver failure are accompanied by changes in other important organs. Half of the patients develop hepatorenal syndrome with the further appearance of acute tubular necrosis. On the part of the lungs there is edema, aspiration pneumonia, the appearance of atelectasis, respiratory distress syndrome. A third of patients experience hemorrhage in the pancreas, duodenitis.

Diagnostics

First of all, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the patient’s life and diseases, then visual inspection, which includes color estimation skin and sclera, checking for swelling of the legs, face and anterior abdominal wall, palpation of the abdomen. The doctor clarifies the presence of chronic pathologies of the liver and other organs, allergic reactions, and the need for the patient or his relatives. long-term use medications, alcohol dependence, contacts with potentially dangerous chemicals in production.

Important! Half of the success of recovery depends on how correctly a specialist determines the cause of the pathology.

Laboratory diagnostic methods are carried out: general analysis blood and urine, blood biochemistry, coagulogram. If necessary, instrumental techniques are used (ultrasound, CT and MRI, elactography, etc.). To differentiate hepatic encephalopathy, electroencephalography is prescribed.

Treatment

It is important not only to correct the condition of the patient’s body, but also to prevent the development severe complications. Constant monitoring is carried out:

• blood pressure;
• pulse;
• oxygen saturation;
• diuresis;
• water balance;
• body temperature.

Some clinical cases require artificial ventilation lungs

Indicators are recorded at hourly intervals. The patient is given urinary and venous catheters and a nasogastric tube. The size of the gland is determined daily (by palpation and using ultrasound examination). The principles of treating liver failure are based on the following points:

• the use of drugs that affect infectious agents, helminthic infestations (etiotropic therapy);
• measures aimed at preventing the development of complications and aggravating factors;
• high calorie diet.

The second point includes the correction of metabolic processes, elimination of acidosis, reducing the severity of intoxication, preventing the development of gastrointestinal bleeding, prevention of hypoxia and critical reduction in blood pressure. Nutrition correction involves limiting the intake of protein from food and including foods rich in coarse fiber in the diet. It is preferable to consume substances from proteins plant origin, it can also be administered as parenteral solutions.

The next goal of therapy is to prevent the formation of toxins in the patient’s body. For this purpose it is prescribed antibacterial treatment(fluoroquinolones), and also sanitize intestinal tract with lactulose, magnesium sulfate and mannitol. IN mandatory hepatoprotectors are used. These are herbal, animal and synthetic origin, which protect liver cells from the negative influence of external and internal factors, and also contribute to the restoration of hepatocyte membranes. The table below presents one of the proposed classifications of hepatoprotectors.

The following methods are used for detoxification:

• bioliver;
• introduction of stem cells;
• hemodialysis;
• devices for temporary replacement of gland functions. This gives you a chance to wait for the transplant process.

It is important to promptly diagnose the need for a donor organ transplant. Transplantation may be indicated when acute failure, and against the background of chronic. Surgery is necessary for noncholestatic cirrhosis, atresia bile ducts and congenital metabolic disorders.

It is important to perform an organ transplant in those clinics where such operations are carried out in large numbers.

Prognosis and prevention

How long a patient with pathology can live depends on the cause that caused the development of the condition. If changes in the gland are provoked by hepatitis, including dosage forms, and cirrhotic changes, the prognosis is less favorable. How long does a patient have to live if liver failure is accompanied by hepatic encephalopathy? Unfortunately, death occurs in 85–90% of cases.

The prognosis for transplantation of the affected organ is as follows. At stages 3 and 4 of encephalopathy, survival rate is no more than 12–15%, if the patient is over 40 years old - 15%, under 30 years old - 40%. On the background early development encephalopathy has a better prognosis than with its late onset.

Prevention of glandular deficiency involves the following measures:

• compliance with the rules healthy image life;
• proper nutrition;
• refusal to abuse alcohol;
• timely treatment inflammatory processes, infections, helminth infections, etc.;
• conducting annual medical examinations of the population;
• refusal to work with carcinogenic chemicals.

It is better to prevent the development of pathology than to restore health over a long period of time.

The human body is perfectly adapted to life in the conditions of our planet. Moreover, we could do without some important organs, the loss of which does not particularly affect the quality of life. So, a person can well afford to lose:

The new pope, 76-year-old Francis, had part of one lung removed 40 years ago to treat an infection. In those years, this was a common practice, since antibiotics had not yet become so widespread. In fact, a person can survive if one lung is completely removed, and this will not affect the length or quality of life. Only heavy physical activity will be contraindicated.

We usually have two kidneys, but one is enough to survive. Some people are even born with one kidney, while others lose one through injury or donation. But at the same time they don’t have serious problems with health and life expectancy. Technically, a person can live without kidneys at all, but then they will often have to resort to dialysis to cleanse the body.

The spleen filters blood and helps the body fight infections, but is not at all necessary for survival: it can be removed, for example, due to damage, blood diseases or injury. However, people without a spleen are more prone to infections.

Sometimes, when treating stomach cancer, a person's stomach is completely removed, after which the small intestine is directly connected to the esophagus. People who go through this have to be fed intravenously for several weeks after surgery. After this, they are able to eat most foods, but in smaller quantities, and must take special nutritional supplements.

In this case, the quality of life is significantly reduced, but nevertheless, a person can live without a pancreas. The loss of this organ leads to digestive disorders, and you will also have to take enzyme preparations for the rest of your life. In addition, the pancreas produces insulin, and its removal leads to the development of diabetes.

Of course, the loss of part of the liver will somewhat complicate a person’s life, but this is also not fatal. The liver is the only one human organ, capable of regeneration, so if you remove 25% of a person’s liver, then most likely it will be able to “grow” to its original size. But losing your liver completely is deadly, since the liver is the main filter of the body, and without it you will be poisoned to death by the products of your own waste.

People can lose their colon as a result of bowel cancer or Crohn's disease. A person can live without this organ, but not particularly well: he will have to constantly wear a bag outside the body, directly connected to the sphincter, to collect the caloids. Sometimes such a bag can be created in small intestine, it takes the place of the colon, and then you won’t have to wear an external bag. It all depends on the clinic and the skill of the surgeon.

If stones appear in the gallbladder and cannot be dissolved with the help of medications, the patient will have the gallbladder removed. This is a common practice these days and the operation itself is relatively safe. Unfortunately, complications are possible in the future, since bile has direct access to the rectum and can get there at any time, which leads to digestive disorders and unpleasant symptoms.

This step is taken only if other treatment methods no longer help. Thyroid is responsible for the production of many essential hormones in the body, and after surgery the patient is prescribed lifelong hormone replacement therapy.

The human body is perfectly adapted to life in the conditions of our planet. Moreover, we could do without some important organs, the loss of which does not particularly affect the quality of life. So, a person can well afford to lose:

The new pope, 76-year-old Francis, had part of one lung removed 40 years ago to treat an infection. In those years, this was a common practice, since antibiotics had not yet become so widespread. In fact, a person can survive if one lung is completely removed, and this will not affect the length or quality of life. Only heavy physical activity will be contraindicated.

We usually have two kidneys, but one is enough to survive. Some people are even born with one kidney, while others lose one through injury or donation. But at the same time they do not have serious problems with health and life expectancy. Technically, a person can live without kidneys at all, but then they will often have to resort to dialysis to cleanse the body.

The spleen filters blood and helps the body fight infections, but is not at all necessary for survival: it can be removed, for example, due to damage, blood diseases or injury. However, people without a spleen are more prone to infections.

Sometimes, when treating stomach cancer, a person's stomach is completely removed, after which the small intestine is directly connected to the esophagus. People who go through this have to be fed intravenously for several weeks after surgery. After this, they are able to eat most foods, but in smaller quantities, and must take special nutritional supplements.

In this case, the quality of life is significantly reduced, but nevertheless, a person can live without a pancreas. The loss of this organ leads to digestive disorders, and you will also have to take enzyme preparations for the rest of your life. In addition, the pancreas produces insulin, and its removal leads to the development of diabetes.

Of course, the loss of part of the liver will somewhat complicate a person’s life, but this is also not fatal. The liver is the only human organ capable of regeneration, so if you remove 25% of a person's liver, then most likely it will be able to “grow” to its original size. But losing your liver completely is deadly, since the liver is the main filter of the body, and without it you will be poisoned to death by the products of your own waste.

People can lose their colon as a result of bowel cancer or Crohn's disease. A person can live without this organ, but not particularly well: he will have to constantly wear a bag outside the body, directly connected to the sphincter, to collect the caloids. Sometimes such a pouch can be created in the small intestine, it takes the place of the large intestine, and then there is no need to wear an external pouch. It all depends on the clinic and the skill of the surgeon.

If stones appear in the gallbladder and cannot be dissolved with the help of medications, the patient will have the gallbladder removed. This is a common practice these days and the operation itself is relatively safe. Unfortunately, complications are possible in the future, since bile has direct access to the rectum and can get there at any time, which leads to digestive disorders and unpleasant symptoms.

This step is taken only if other treatment methods no longer help. The thyroid gland is responsible for producing many essential hormones in the body, and after surgery the patient is placed on lifelong hormone replacement therapy.

You can live without a spleen, a gallbladder, without one kidney, with a partially removed stomach. But it is impossible to live without the liver - it performs too many important functions.

The liver can perform many different functions

In our body, this organ is involved in the processes of digestion, blood circulation and metabolism of all types of substances (including hormones). The structure of the liver helps it cope with so many tasks. This is our largest organ, its mass ranges from 3 to 5% of body weight. The bulk of the organ consists of cells hepatocytes. This name is often found when it comes to liver functions and diseases, so let’s remember it. Hepatocytes are specially adapted for the synthesis, transformation and storage of many various substances, which come from the blood - and in most cases return there. All our blood flows through the liver; it fills numerous hepatic vessels and special cavities, and around them a continuous thin layer of hepatocytes is located. This structure facilitates the exchange of substances between liver cells and blood.

Liver is a blood depot

There is a lot of blood in the liver, but not all of it is “flowing.” Quite a significant amount of it is in reserve. With a large loss of blood, the liver vessels contract and push their reserves into the general bloodstream, saving the person from shock.

The liver secretes bile

Bile secretion is one of the most important digestive functions liver. From the liver cells, bile enters the bile capillaries, which unite into a duct that flows into the duodenum. Bile along with digestive enzymes decomposes fat into components and facilitates its absorption in the intestines.

The liver synthesizes and breaks down fats

Liver cells synthesize some fatty acid and their derivatives necessary for the body. True, among these compounds there are also those that many consider harmful - these are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and cholesterol, the excess of which forms atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels. But don’t rush to scold the liver: we cannot do without these substances. Cholesterol is an essential component of the membranes of erythrocytes (red blood cells), and it is LDL that delivers it to the site of red blood cell formation.

If there is too much cholesterol, red blood cells lose their elasticity and have difficulty squeezing through thin capillaries. People think that they have problems with blood circulation, but their liver is not in order.

A healthy liver prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques; its cells remove excess LDL, cholesterol and other fats from the blood and destroy them.

The liver synthesizes blood plasma proteins

Almost half of the protein that our body synthesizes per day is formed in the liver. The most important among them are blood plasma proteins, primarily albumin. It accounts for 50% of all proteins created by the liver.

There must be a certain concentration of proteins in the blood plasma, and it is albumin that maintains it. In addition, it binds and transports many substances: hormones, fatty acids, microelements.

In addition to albumin, hepatocytes synthesize blood clotting proteins that prevent the formation of blood clots, as well as many others. When proteins age, their breakdown occurs in the liver.

Urea is formed in the liver

Proteins in our intestines are broken down into amino acids. Some of them are used in the body, while the rest must be removed because the body cannot store them.

The breakdown of unnecessary amino acids occurs in the liver, resulting in the formation of toxic ammonia. But the liver does not allow the body to be poisoned and immediately converts ammonia into soluble urea, which is then excreted in the urine.

The liver turns unnecessary amino acids into necessary ones

It happens that a person’s diet lacks some amino acids. The liver synthesizes some of them using fragments of other amino acids. However, the liver cannot make some amino acids; they are called essential and a person receives them only from food.

The liver converts glucose into glycogen and glycogen into glucose

There must be a constant concentration of glucose (in other words, sugar) in the blood serum. It serves as the main source of energy for brain cells, muscle cells and red blood cells. Most reliable way ensure a constant supply of glucose to cells - store it after meals and then use it as needed. This most important task is assigned to the liver.

Glucose is soluble in water and is inconvenient to store. Therefore, the liver catches excess glucose molecules from the blood and converts glycogen into an insoluble polysaccharide, which is deposited in the form of granules in liver cells, and, if necessary, is converted back into glucose and enters the blood. The glycogen reserve in the liver lasts for 12-18 hours.

The liver stores vitamins and microelements

The liver stores fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as water-soluble vitamins C, B 12, nicotine and folic acid.

This organ also stores minerals, needed by the body in very small quantities, such as copper, zinc, cobalt and molybdenum.

The liver destroys old red blood cells

In the human fetus, red blood cells (red blood cells that carry oxygen) are produced in the liver. Gradually, this function is taken over by bone marrow cells, and the liver begins to play the exact opposite role - it does not create red blood cells, but destroys them.

Red blood cells live for about 120 days and then age and must be removed from the body. The liver has special cells that trap and destroy old red blood cells. This releases hemoglobin, which the body does not need outside of red blood cells. Hepatocytes disassemble hemoglobin into “spare parts”: amino acids, iron and green pigment.

The liver stores iron until it is needed to form new red blood cells in the bone marrow, and turns the green pigment into yellow - bilirubin.

Bilirubin enters the intestines along with bile, which is colored yellow.

If the liver is diseased, bilirubin accumulates in the blood and stains the skin - this is jaundice.

The liver regulates the levels of certain hormones and active substances

In this organ, excess hormones are converted into an inactive form or destroyed. The list is quite long, so here we will only mention insulin and glucagon, which are involved in the conversion of glucose into glycogen, and the sex hormones testosterone and estrogens. In chronic liver diseases, the metabolism of testosterone and estrogen is impaired, and the patient develops spider veins, armpit and pubic hair falls out, and in men the testicles atrophy.

The liver removes excess active substances such as adrenaline and bradykinin. The first of them increases the heart rate, reduces the outflow of blood to internal organs, directing her to skeletal muscles, stimulates the breakdown of glycogen and an increase in blood glucose levels, and the second regulates water and salt balance body, smooth muscle contraction and capillary permeability, and also performs some other functions. It would be bad for us with an excess of bradykinin and adrenaline.

The liver destroys germs

The liver has special macrophage cells that are located along blood vessels and catch bacteria from there. Once caught by microorganisms, these cells are swallowed and destroyed.

The liver neutralizes poisons

As we have already understood, the liver is a resolute opponent of everything unnecessary in the body, and of course it will not tolerate poisons and carcinogenic substances in it. Neutralization of poisons occurs in hepatocytes. After complex biochemical transformations, toxins are converted into harmless, water-soluble substances that leave our body in urine or bile.

Unfortunately, not all substances can be neutralized. For example, when paracetamol breaks down, it produces a potent substance that can permanently damage the liver. If the liver is unhealthy, or the patient has taken too much paracetomol, the consequences can be dire, including the death of liver cells.

You need to know that with a diseased liver it can be difficult to choose medications, because the body reacts to them completely differently. So, if you want to be treated effectively, not have problems with digestion, metabolism, blood circulation, hormonal status and not be knocked down by every microbe that gets into the blood, take care of your liver.